A team of scientists from the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) has developed a method to improve the efficiency of extracting gold from electronic waste using textiles. The new technique, which uses fiber-like materials made of polyacrylonitrile, can achieve a gold recovery efficiency of almost 100 percent, compared to less than 20 percent for current recycling methods. The researchers believe that their method could reduce Korea’s dependence on resource imports and prepare for the risk of rising raw material prices.